The defending champion South Carolina women's basketball team has kept its March Madness repeat dream alive by edging out Duke 54-50 to make it to the Final Four. But that's not the only goal that victory achieved for head coach Dawn Staley.
Staley's Gamecocks triggered one of several performance-based incentives tied to her contract by winning its fifth-straight Elite Eight contest, banking an additional $150,000 into her account and bringing her bonus total this campaign to $380,000, according to USA Today Sports' Steve Berkowitz.
In January, South Carolina approved a landmark contract extension through the 2029-30 season valued at approximately $25.25 million, or $4.8 million a year. The agreement includes a yearly salary of $4 million with a $250,000 annual escalator and a $500,000 signing bonus, marking a significant increase from Staley's previous $3.1 million base salary.
If Staley wasn't already motivated enough to claim South Carolina's fourth NCAA Tournament championship, she's guaranteed to rack up even more if she does. The veteran courtside boss is set to take home a $500,000 bonus each time she brings a national title back to Columbia.
In her previous contract, Staley was also awarded bonuses for leading the team to a certain win total, securing SEC titles, ranking in the Top 25, and earning Coach of the Year honors.
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Staley has transformed the program since her arrival in 2008, and she's been made the highest-paid coach in women's college basketball as a result. The deal moves Staley about $1 million ahead of fellow legendary coaches like Kim Mulkey and Geno Auriemma.
Chloe Kitts and Sania Feagin were the Gamecocks that came through for Staley the most in their nail-biter over the Blue Devils. Kitts put up a solid 14 points and four rebounds, including two clutch free throws, while Feagin had a dynamic showing on both sides of the court with 12 points, eight boards, three assists, three steals, and two blocks.
The No. 1-seeded South Carolina women's basketball team will next have to go through the winner of Texas-TCU to make it to the NCAA Tournament title game.
The Hall-of-Fame coach's teams have been the bar in the SEC and women's college basketball overall for years. Staley's rewards don't only reflect her exceptional coaching record, they also represent an increase in equitable compensation in women's sports.
